My research into the cemetery at
New Hall, has led me to uncover other similar cemeteries, and
today's post will focus on another convent cemetery in Essex,
proposed by Sr Mary Rudolph of the Sisters of Notre Dame in
Southend, in 1887, nearly 100 years after the creation of the New
Hall cemetery in 1799.

On 5 September 1887, Mother
Superior Sr Mary Rudolph wrote to the Southend Local Health Board
regarding her application "concerning the projected small Cemetery
in our own grounds, to use exclusively for our community." Although
this is the first surviving letter from this exchange, it appears
that Sr Mary Rudolph had been in discussion for some weeks
regarding this proposed cemetery. In her letter, she refers to a
certificate of approval given by a Dr Hoffmann of the Burial Acts
Office in Westminster, which highlighted the reasons to approve the
cemetery. Although this certificate does not survive, the letter
draws the attention of the Health Board to clause 7, for which she
"humbly asks for your Sanction."

The law at the time, much like
today, required any such proposed changes to be publicly
advertised, to allow any complaints or problems to be discovered
before planning permission is given. Although little evidence of
this part of the proceedings survive, we do have a bundle of
complaint letters, sent to the Southend Health Board, in protest at
the proposed new cemetery, despite its private and inherently
enclosed settings. Sr Mary Rudolph and her plans caused quite a
stir…

On 22 September 1887, a Mr William
Wilson, resident at 12 Queen's Road, Southend, wrote to the
Sanitary Committee in disgust at the new plans. He noted that the
planned site for this new cemetery was near the Water Works,
commenting "I trust you will strongly oppose the application as the
construction of a burial grounds would certainly tend to depreciate
the value of property in the immediate vicinity", suggesting that
"there is ample opportunities for the convent authorities to
acquire land suitable for their purpose at such a distance from
dwelling houses as not to be objectionable." Similarly, Mr George
Ryan, a local landowner but resident in London, wrote to the Board
on 24 September, complaining that "if such application be
granted it will greatly deteriorate the value of the property &
I therefore strenuously appose a Cemetery being established in such
a position and trust your Honourable Board will not give your
permission as requested." A third resident also complained about
the affect on property values, a Mrs Rosa Willoughby, who lived at
Cheshunt Cottage. Mrs Willoughby seems to have been something a
neighbourhood spokeswoman, claiming that she and her neighbours
"strongly oppose" the planned cemetery.

Others complained that the proposed
new cemetery was uncecessary, helpfully pointing out nearby
existing cemeteries that could be used by the Notre Dame sisters
instead. Mr Moxton, of nearby Rosedale Villas, notes that as well
as being a great source of annoyance, the convent cemetery is
unnecessary given that "there is ample space in the cemetery in
Prittlewell Road", a point supported by Miss Mary Jacobs, resident
in Lansdowne Villas. Miss Jacobs comments "there being a portion
allotted to the Catholics in the Prittlewell cemetery it must be
granted unnecessary" and Amelia Carter, of Leith Cottage, notes her
protest agains the opening of a public burial ground so close to
her house, commenting "We have a cemetery so near that I consider
it quite unnecessary and would urge the board to withhold their
sanction to the project."

It is quite easy to imagine that
similar protests would have been raised, had the creation of the
cemetery at New Hall been subject to the same level of public
scrutiny. The process with which we are all now so familiar, of
applying for planning permission and allowing the general public
the chance to object to the planned changes, simply did not exist
when the Community arrived at New Hall in May 1799.

Similarly, the Burial Acts, which
had been passed between 1852 and 1885, allowed for the creation of
public cemeteries not attached to any particular faith or
denomination, and were a direct response to the huge changes in
living conditions within towns and cities in previous decades.

Intense industrialisation, the
building of new factories and production sites plus an influx of
migrant workers resulted in overcrowding and disease epidemics on a
scale never seen before. A direct outcome of these changes was a
huge shift in the practicalities of dealing with the burial of the
dead - city churchyards quickly became full, and new methods of
dealing with burial on a large had to be found.

None of these concerns were a
factor when the Community created their cemetery at New Hall in
1799 - no planning permission had to be sought, there was no
legislative mechanism for the creation of a new burial facility,
and there certainly was no nearby public cemetery that could be
used for the burial of Catholic nuns! Specifically Catholic
cemeteries were not legally allowed until 1852, whether created as
part of a church, or as a separate burial ground, as at New Hall,
and it is very likely that the New Hall cemetery is the oldest
Catholic cemetery in the country as a result of this.

Sr Mary Rudolph was not so lucky
- on 30 September 1887 the Southend Local Board reported that
they "express disapproval of the proposal and withold consent" for
the creation of a cemetery for the Sisters of Notre Dame in
Southend. Reasons given varied from the sanitary effects upon
nearby houses and the main supply of drinking water, as well as
"considerable depreciation" of local property values, and "that
there are two public burial grounds (one being a cemetery) within
1/2 a mile of the proposed burial ground."

We certainly are very lucky to have
the beautiful and peaceful cemetery at New Hall!